Different Tests for COVID-19
There are different types of COVID-19 tests – diagnostic tests and antibody tests.
Molecular and antigen tests are types of diagnostic tests than can detect if you have an active COVID-19 infection. Samples for diagnostic tests are typically collected with a nasal or throat swab, or saliva collected by spitting into a tube. Antigen tests look for a piece of the coating of the virus whereas Molecular tests detect genetic material – the RNA – of the coronavirus and are sensitive enough to need only a very tiny amount of it.
Antibody tests are not considered diagnostic tests that can determine if someone has an active COVID-19 infection. They use blood samples to look for antibodies produced by a person’s immune system to help fight off COVID-19. These can detect if someone had a past COVID-19 infection but not if they still are positive for the virus.
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